


His Son

by JeffTheRock



Category: Final Space (Cartoon)
Genre: Character Death, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Psychological Trauma, Suspense, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:06:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24295582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeffTheRock/pseuds/JeffTheRock
Summary: Avocato is on the run from the Lord Commander since the day his son was taken away from him. With a fellow familiar, Avocato finds a way to hide from his allies turned captors and take his companion to a safe place.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	His Son

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to thank a friend of mine for her help in editing this story! Just a disclaimer, I just want to apologize as there are too many OCs. It just came to me as I wrote this one-shot, but rest assured, I included the elements from the show to fit the consistency. This is my first fic, so please bear with me and if there's something, feel free to write a review and let me know how I did so far :) It would be much appreciated. Have a good read! And yes, I do not own Final Space. It is owned by TBS and Olan Rogers.

_“A voice is heard in Ramah,_ _weeping and great mourning,_ _Rachel weeping for her children_ _and refusing to be comforted,_ _because they are no more.”_

_\- Matthew 2:18_

Had Avocato succumbed to the wills of his master, he would be perpetually blinded to the greater scheme of things, and be pushed into eternal torment of confusion, pain, and regret. His son was the reason for his awakening and salvation.

He sat in a lonely train, silent. A dozen of other aliens were going about their own business: sleeping, texting, trying to decide if they should take a piss on a potted plant for experiment. Either way, he did not care; neither did the pudgy purple boy sitting right beside him. As the boy grew tired of scratching the three blunt stubs that were part of his head, he decided to take a peek at his companion. His three eyes slowly crept to the face of the famous and feared general looking straight only for him to glance back. At that, the boy flitted his eyes away to the rubber-padded floor lumped with circles. It was pretty warm and bright inside, unlike outside which was cold and dark.

The boy looked sideways and above, hoping that the Lord Commander's soldiers, or even his mother would not find him and shoot him at the spot. All he could depend on was Avocato who just fell asleep despite a tendency to stay awake after a terrible moment. His body was still like the statue; his eyes closed yet his head erect, giving a chance for his back to do likewise. It was typical of his training and his experience as the second-in-command paid off. Except, there was some subtle tension at the bag he was hugging. The boy could understand it pretty well, or so he may be wrong.

The stillness, save for the friction of the wheels on the rails, lingered until they were to be broken by the gentle chimes and the announcement of the station they were currently in followed by the beeps of the doors to slide open, followed by the buzzing of feet, then the closing, and concluding with the wheels to make their friction with the rails causing the train to move giving a crescendo sound.

They were on some undisclosed planet. What was clear was that they were on the northern side of the world. They could've picked some far from the galaxy, but they decided that in a busy and jam packed world, no one may find them. It was safe, but not entirely as it was still under the same galaxy. It wasn't that prominent but it was at least enough for everybody. Right now, they were heading for Station 12 for reasons. Avocato's plan was to recover and find his son he had been missing ever since that fateful day. The boy's plan was to stay with an uncle who could keep him safe basically.

They both ended up at that train since that day, when Avocato took his escape from the Lord Commander. He threw a flash grenade he kept secretly at the Lord Commander as he bound the Ventrexian father and son with the roots underneath. Fortunately, the flash grenade stunned the tyrant, making him lose control of the roots, but as everything happened fast, both just tried to run to each other, only for the child to be dragged off screaming and yelling for help. At that moment, everything descended into chaos as orders to find the deviant were immediately issued. Avocato, safe and alone from the henchmen scattered all over the field, called out Little Cato’s name in desperation. He soon picked up weeping but only to find a purple child hiding under the hollow of a tree spared from the flames; a survivor. As the child told the Ventrexian his story and his wishes to stay with a kind uncle living on a nearby planet, he resolved to help him and to leave this place and to never come back again.

Adrift in this light sleep, Avocato tried so hard to reminisce this last moment with his Little Cato. He smiled weakly, as it was the last peaceful moment they had together.

\----

It was yesterday when the sun began to set. Avocato, off-duty, was just waiting for his son to meet him. A few minutes passed and from a distance, he could see the fully armed Ventrexian making his way to his father. He walked with a huge severed monster head at his left hand now covered in the blue grime of the kill along with his forearm. As the son went a meter to Avocato, he stopped for a while bobbing his head donned with his father's helmet.

"Dad, I've found something." said the son throwing the head on the ground between them. Avocato nodded in approval; his son had been a better hunter lately. The son wiped his left arm on his soiled shirt before taking off the helmet revealing a worn out face which was unlike the boldness sported in his blue mohawk. Despite the weary face, he strongly shook his head to clear out any foreign stuff. His damp blue hair waved along with his head. He stood tall ready to head home.

"Worry not about that now. Let's go home." Avocato replied, taking the kill with his hand.

They were soon at their home; at the best housing the Lord Commander could offer him and his son. Little Cato could not wait to tell all the things he had seen, touched, or killed while his father was away. Avocato was just setting up the console he and Little Cato would spend just like any other night. The game they were playing was some fighting adventure game. Avocato first played solo, while his son talked about the kills he made today, and the strength he obtained.

Little Cato knew too well that Avocato certainly had been so busy with work lately yet he would not leave his dad alone and risk mumbling some shit he had for the day, even if it may come to the point he may annoy him and disturb him making his way through the level.

Little Cato was an eager child, wondrous and childlike but also as a matter of fact, aggressive as his father. His fighting and strategic prowess, and the blades and blasters he would carry often said it all. The people around him, elders and peers, would always be in awe of him, as he was famous as his father on the planet. He was among the most fortunate of the children, and with that, he had been earning both praise and disdain from all walks of life. Some lauded him as they were impressed, while some backbite as they were jealous, but there could be more to the backbiting. Afterall, he _was_ a murderer's child.

Little Cato fell silent for a moment.

“What’s wrong, son?” Avocato, pausing the game, asked him.

“I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch.” the boy replied in quiet tones.

“What happened, boy?” Avocato asked sternly.

Little Cato took a deep breath. It was heavy and uneasy. He looked away from his father’s face and said, “Dad, I just don’t understand how you being a general made people hate us. I just got attacked on the way to the desert for my hunt…” he stopped but took courage to continue, “...while passing through the slums.”

Avocato aghast at that notion gasped, “Little Cato.” He knew the slums were dangerous for Little Cato to pass, as they held dangerous people.

Little Cato sighed, “There was no quicker way to the desert so I had to hitch a ride with Mooney, my friend who just…” he stopped as he gulped, “His mom and I and he were passing by the slums and they invited me for a snack at some ice cream place, and once we got our ice cream, Mooney and his mom were gone and as I went out, there were…”

He stopped as he choked but continued after getting himself back together, “There were armed guys. Fully armored. Their faces were covered and they aimed their blasters at me telling me that my father is a murderer and that I am worthless as I am your son and that I have no good mother. They also told me that they will find me...and you and kill us both. How dare Mooney left me! I just ran off, because I can't go against them, and I cried going to the desert.” Little Cato rubbed his arm on his eyes as they began to swell with tears.

Avocato had enough of that, and so he wrapped his arms around him so tight, "I am glad that you are safe, baby. I will make sure you get justice. But I'm sorry you had to go through all this just because of me."

“What are you talking about?”

“Being the second-in-command takes a high price, even when it means having to go through shame and losing someone you love. The best thing I can do for you is to make sure you have a great life. I care about you most, because you are my only son. Promise me you will be better than I am, because _you_ are you, and not me. Believe in the best around, no matter where you come from.” Avocato then handed him the second controller, “Come on, let’s get through this level together.” The son smiled and his father caressed his hair and pulled him close to him.

And the day that followed was history.

\----

Avocato woke up gazing mindlessly at the dark outside.

The purple boy looked aimlessly about until he saw the station board across him. They were now on Station 5.

"Tell me. Where are you heading?" Avocato asked softly.

The boy did not respond as he was afraid of being too close to the Lord Commander's Second-in-Command. Avocato picked up the sign. "Don't be afraid of me. I'm not letting anyone hurt you. Not anymore." he said.

"I'm gonna go to my uncle...just by Station 12, sir." The boy answered timidly but silently to make sure no spy would hear him.

"I'm stopping there too." Avocato replied. But honestly, he had no idea where he really was going. He had to hide and recuperate until he regained enough strength to find Little Cato. And since the boy was going to Station 12, he might have to go there too and stay somewhere near the station and far from where the boy would be.

"I need to get myself together before I can find my son. Do you know him?" He continued.

"I guess I see him quite often. I know what he looks like, but I have not talked to him before." The boy answered while rubbing his hands and looking down, he then continued "His name is…"

"Little Cato." Avocato finished abruptly.

"Oh…" The boy replied just that even if he knew his name already.

Some minutes passed and Avocato fell asleep peacefully again, nothing to worry him at that moment. The boy, on the other hand, was still wide awake. He wondered when the train would reach the next station. The wait felt like eternity.

The boy stared at Avocato, who was now sleepily slouching over his bag. It felt odd seeing a ruthless and cold general sleep so relaxed and vulnerably. He believed that generals as fierce as he was would not sleep that way. They would sit up straight and be still like the statue as he saw a while ago. The boy looked at the bag Avocato was hugging again. It now slowly slipped a bit from Avocato's arms as they relaxed. He stared at the bag and the general for three minutes before going back to his routine of visual wandering.

Twenty minutes passed and Avocato woke once again leaning to his chair. He noticed the slip his relaxed arms made to his bag and so he hugged it tighter and closer to him. "Where are we now, kid?" He asked as he looked at the board with the red light flashing above the inscription _Station 8_.

"Station 8." The boy replied. The announcement said the same words after him.

Avocato looked to the boy and exhaled now that his fears came to enclose on him. He looked at the bag he brought, giving him solace. It had some stuff–his clothes, his death metal posters, bombs of all kinds, firearms, and ammo he stashed quickly before he could leave. No one exactly knew how that would be possible. The stash was bulky and hard but it was cushioned with a soft foam weaved inside the bag, making it so soft and so comfy that anyone leaning on it could fall asleep in half a minute. With the foam, Avocato could sleep peacefully as he could hug the softness and rest his chin on it. 

He looked up to the silver clean metal bar holding the rubber covered rings dangling and soon the whole car: the ads, the clean white ceiling, walls, rubber-padded floors, and the blue chairs. He then looked at the darkness outside dispelled with a few lights from the buildings near the rail.

The planet must be a good place to hide. It was decent, but what they lacked was security, which the local government failed to fully invest on. It was evident in the security of all their stations. They were pretty relaxed and had been seldom checked. There were no scanners, and no security personnel even, save for the CCTV installed. Pretty careless but that must be a blessing for the two.

Avocato recalled how both of them landed on that place. They landed on some untouched desert ditch far from the city via a little spaceship that could lightfold found at a docking bay unguarded back there. From the desert where they landed (actually, crashed), they walked to a nearby gas stop some meters away, and there, they converted their cash and bought some refreshments at the convenience store, and headed to a bus stop where a bus was heading for _Dorian City_ , where their objectives lie. It was terrible; they were in the dead of the night, making the whole desert and its road lit by tall light posts too eerie for anyone to walk. Putting aside all that, the planet was a home of bright metropolitan cities full of happy peaceful people. They were independent and had no control from the Lord Commander nor the Infinity Guard. How were they not controlled by any of these forces?

He commented to the boy, "A perfect place of hiding, isn't it, baby?" He squinted to the bright light overhead him. "Heck, I've never been here before, but it's a nice cozy place to be in. I may as well live here, but maybe the people wouldn't want me here." He then looked down to the bag's top mindlessly.

"But you're here, and maybe people would be nice to you since they met you for the first time. I know you are nice, because everyone is nice, and that’s what I know for sure." The boy replied and smiled.

Avocato sighed and just that. Maybe he was right, but Avocato could not help but object it. The planet would not want him. He was a "master of death", a murderer, a high ranking general whose army was sent out to gain dominance over the galaxy. He remembered some people back at Tera Con Prime who hated him, mostly the slum dwellers who opposed the empire and were not able to escape with their fellow comrades who were able. There were days when he would get threats of his son getting abducted, his throat sliced, and his body hung in a revolution, which served proof that Avocato was hated and that he had been a target for his profession.

Because of that, he was uneasy with the planet and its people; he did not know whether or not people here may recognize who he was. He could tell since the news told these people of that crazed telekinetic green alien and his cohorts, probably even the famous Ventrexian general wreaking havoc in the galaxy, but surprisingly, neither cared as he found that the locals were not tagging him nor giving him suspicious looks.

Whatever may happen, he would always be prepared. He trusted no one, not even the seemingly innocent. To be safe, he kept a tiny retractable blaster, larger than a regular army knife stuffed into his pocket, but strong enough to make a killing shot, and he would not hesitate to use it as his life hung on a thread from the imminent dangers around.

Avocato decided to switch topic, "So, what did you say your name was again?"

"Dandy, sir." The boy replied with a smile, swinging his short legs lightly.

Avocato chuckled, "Figures, I knew her son’s name is Dandy. Your mom was one of the best and toughest in the crew. I admire her.”

“And the best of cooks! She always makes pies, stew, pot roasts, and even bakes cakes and cookies all the time. And as her son, I get to eat them as much as I want.”

Avocato smiled, “I tasted those. Even Little Cato did. He said they were good and would even horde a bunch of them." He stopped as something rang a bell, "Wait a minute...are you telling me she was the one who made them?”

The purple boy giggled and smiled, as he recalled the loving mother he had, “Yes, sir!”.

“Wow. That is something.” Avocato replied out of surprise, “And please, just call me Avocato.”

Two minutes passed and Avocato got bored with the stillness, and so he decided to break it, but quietly, “Umm...Dandy...let's play a game of _I Spy_."

"Cool! Let's do it!" Dandy replied, giving Avocato a decent smile.

Avocato went on first, "I spy with my little eye, something long…"

And the game went on as minutes ticked by. The two seemed to just guess some boring objects they could find on this train, but it helped a lot passing the time and bringing some relaxation. As the game went on, Dandy began to be comfortable with him, now calling the Ventrexian general by his name.

After that short game, Avocato told Dandy stories of his adventures with Little Cato, and Dandy would comment on them and in turn tell his own stories. The two now became friends. Putting all that aside though there was something in that boy Avocato found, and it was something he needed to learn—maybe it was something that he really needed. He couldn't find the right word for it. Was it Freedom? Simplicity? Humility? Kindness? Mercy? He could not know for sure, but he was getting there and would keep it that way.

After some storytelling, the two shared some sandwiches they bought at the gas stop and watched the serene ambience in and out of the car. As the train stopped for Station 10, the doors, as usual, opened and no one went out and instead a throng of people went in. It was unusual for a number of people to ride this late at night, but again, Avocato did not care, neither did Dandy. But Avocato knew the throng of people would set an alarm, so he looked at each of them carefully but not enough to stir attention. With his direct and peripheral vision, he took note of where they sat, scattered on all the spaces of the car. Avocato now to the point of turning his head wildly took a deep breath and stretched his neck by turning it to the left and to the right to make his last inspection.

The train moved on and they were eating another set of snacks, some corn chips they bought along with the sandwiches while watching a bunch of ads, mostly promos and products, on the screen and discussing them. They were so close to Station 12 they could not sleep; they just passed through Station 11. It was currently 3am as Dandy looked at his digital watch, "I have never been this up late before. Mom always tells me to be asleep every 9:30 in the evening." he said.

"For me, Dandy, I don't usually give any rules. Little Cato is a man." Avocato complemented.

"I never get to ask mom what being a parent is like. I could not even ask my dad, because I don't see him. I don’t even know what he exactly was like." Dandy said fumbling his hands imagining what his father would look like, _a really big muscular dude_. He continued, "I have seen Little Cato's dad, and that is you, but I haven't seen his mom before."

The word _mom_ brought Avocato to a surprised gasp. That's right, Little Cato's mother. Avocato froze instantly and his mouth continued going agape. He never wanted to mention Little Cato’s mother. There were things about her he cannot discuss, as it was all too personal. Dandy began to look at his face flabbergasted, and his heart sank knowing he triggered something on his companion. He wondered if that topic was worth mentioning. Avocato looked down, now that the fatigue soaked him making the fur of his face droop. He seemed to choke a bit as his mouth clenched hard and his eyes swelling up to tears, but Avocato fought the urge to let them fall as he wiped some off from his right arm, but they still kept coming.

Dandy shrunk away from Avocato who was about to cry, "I'm sorry, sir."

But Avocato understood the boy, so he was not angry at him. He wiped his eyes and faced to him with a smile, "Dandy, it's alright. I understand. What matters is that we spend good with the ones we have, so you spend it with your uncle." Avocato said rubbing at the back of the boy's head. Avocato himself even believed that, but there were doubts he had to address. He didn’t know if this principle was really true or if it was meant to be done.

The light soon flashed on Station 12.

" _Station 12_ " the feminine sounding announcement aired on the speakers.

Avocato, hearing the announcement shot back to his alert self, and quickly gestured Dandy off the chair by patting his back. It had been a few hours since they were on their bums, so they ached as they stood and they would be like this for the next couple of minutes. After a brief stretch, the duo finally went off the steps out to the roofed white platform full of walking shoes.

As soon as the two stepped out, Avocato’s ears swiveled back as he noticed something strange, like some susceptible loud footsteps coming his way. He dared not look back to keep his alert in check. He quickened his pace, while holding Dandy's wrist tightly. The footsteps were more audible now and Avocato looked back to see a silhouette going after them violently pushing any obstacles aside. The silhouette started to run, leading Avocato to do the same. However, a few seconds passed and the pursuer matched them easily taking a big leap onto the duo. Avocato threw Dandy out of harm’s way, and took the damage himself.

His face on the floor, Avocato looked behind to see the pursuer more clearly. It was a lean, white masculine alien with two antennae wearing what seemed to be teenager clothes. His head was soaking with sweat and his teal eyes wide and teeth glaring showing an obvious sign of stress. He breathed noisily creepily staring at Avocato as he armed himself a white knife. The alien grinned and poised himself by bending his knees and lunged to drive the knife to Avocato's thigh with a sharp cry. Avocato quickly rolled away and pulled his concealed gun out automatically revving up to its kill mode and harshly clicked its tiny trigger where a fat green laser made its way to one of the antennae. The shot instantly transformed a cautious crowd into a cacophonous frenzy.

The alien stumbled, spasmed and screamed as the blood spurting out from the beating arteries quickly coated the floor. He yelled, "I found him! I fucking found him!" A few feet behind him, five more armed pursuers armed with dark blasters heard their comrade and furiously aimed towards where Avocato was. Avocato swept his feet off, and ducked down to a square pillar where he found Dandy curled up bawling.

Avocato looked to the North Wing entrance, and aimed for it, with a plan in mind.

Avocato retrieved a large one handed turret from the stash and shot a handful of green lasers towards his pursuers. They were unharmed as they were wearing impenetrable armor. As part of the plan, he pulled out a flash bomb and threw it away. The pursuers were too late to stop the ticking bomb as a loud flash erupted right at them, disabling their helmet sensors.

He quickly grabbed the child’s hand and both leapt off their feet to reach the North Wing entrance despite being blinded by the flash and there, they could find the nearest exit. He knew too well a lockdown would be coming underway, and so they had to get off the station fast and go farther from it. But he also knew the pursuers would come for him with the track left by the dusty dirt his boots accumulated from the walk in the desert. Dandy’s shoes even had some. Avocato cared not about the trails. He would care less from now on.

"We'll just wait and see!" Avocato said to himself with Dandy only picking up mumbles.

The frenzy wreaked havoc throughout the whole floor. People were going about quickly to the stairs and escalators to make their escape.

The two joined the large crowd from the South Line where he left off just arriving at the North Wing to make their escape. The panic in the commuters just worsened to the point of stampede. The nearby staircase was full of panicking commuters making their way out. It would be worse for Dandy to join in the escaping crowd, many of them businessmen, partygoers, and night workers coming from the Central and North Lines, but Avocato led him on to the greatest risk so far nonetheless. They joined the crowd and ended up getting pushed sideways than going up the stairs to the exit. Avocato kept a close eye on Dandy who was now gasping for air and drowning in a sea of people. They could barely move amidst the chaos pushing them to all sides, and they couldn't stand like that for so long.

They broke themselves out of the escaping crowd in hardship as the commuters pushed both Avocato and Dandy into the center, but Avocato pushed some out of the way to pave a clear path, while Dandy hugged Avocato’s arm with its paw holding Dandy’s wrist so tight that he moaned in pain. As they reached the wide open, they both jumped out and quickly rushed to a detour leading to another exit located at the West Wing’s entrance.

“Avocato! My arm hurts!” Dandy gasped as the two ran.

“Think less about it!” Avocato shot back tugging the boy’s hand harder.

As they went past the detour’s entrance, the entrance and the other ones were suddenly sealed off with fat red lasers. The exit in front of them was some feet away. They were the only ones to have passed there, since no one would take a farther exit in an emergency. Avocato gasped and cursed.

The sirens were now sounding the alarm, “ _This is an emergency, kindly evacuate immediately. The station entrance at the North Wing is disabled for your evacuation. Please exit there immediately”._ Avocato looked for some openings around the hall. There were none. " _The West Line, North Line, South Line, East Line, and Central Line have been shut off for your safety_." Avocato looked around, and even beyond the lasers to see for a way out.

He took a deep shaky breath as some feet away, five armored figures from where they ran off walked to the scene. They walked on some brown specks on the floor leading to where their targets stood. He was right about the trails. He squinted closely to find three of them wearing a black type armor they wore, a signature combat armor for generals. The other two wore a red type, signifying them as regular soldiers. The pursuers walked closer and right at the lasers giving no harm to the pursuers as their heavy armor, made out of one of the rarest metals in the galaxy, proved highly resistant to the lasers.

A thin alien, a general by the name of Goldius began by raising a severed head wrinkled all over making it look like a crumpled paper bag, its mouth sagging open, and its eyes clear as cream. It was also missing an antenna—the one Avocato shot. Dandy, a few steps behind him, just froze from skin to bones.

He then began, "You just had to kill off all of us. Too bad for this guy, he had to sever his own head after you bastard cut his antenna off. You see here, he was squirming and his head would just detach…"

"Shut up, bitch! The cops are coming!" A larger and muscular one, also a general by the name of Moira on his right growled.

"Stay away from me." Avocato bellowed as he raised his blaster to face them.

"And the kid behind you? Why is he with you? He ain't your kid. That's illegal, bro." Said Goldius as he skipped forward in a manner that was like dancing.

"He doesn't concern you. If you wanna stay alive let us out and stay out of our way." Avocato demanded.

"We will, if you yield and go back with us and leave the boy alone." Goldius retorted.

"I am not coming back." Avocato declared.

Moira scoffed, "You betrayed us, and the Lord Commander demands you come back. We are not here to kill you but to neutralize ya, just as he did, 'cuz you are a dangerous son of a bitch. He will deal with you himself."

"How about Dandy? Will he die here?" Avocato questioned the boy, as he was afraid of harm coming his way.

Goldius snickered, "That is none of your business! Yield now and you can be away safe with us, and the Lord Commander will just talk to…"

"I have no one to follow but myself." Avocato raised his gun and walked forward slowly, "Now don't make this hard for me. I have been through a rough night, and you don't like it if I'm angry, especially as I have authority over you!"

His eyes darted towards Dandy and commanded him like the dad he was to Little Cato, "Dandy, take cover, now!"

Dandy began to make his way to one pillar at his left, but stopped and stayed frozen yet again as a blue laser shot to the floor in front. The cool Goldius raising a gun with its muzzle steaming smoke waved a finger, "uh, uh, uh."

Avocato growled as his blood boiled, "He is just a child!"

Moira growled and aimed his gun at the Ventrexian, "What's with you, Avocato? Why suddenly fight for this wimp who's supposed to die on that test? He is nothing to you!"

Avocato's face began to clench again, his eyes now hot with tears.

Moira stared at him closely and finally sighed as he could sense his deeper thoughts. He was so disappointed at the biggest failure the second-in-command had done. He could not believe he would have to go through his personal feelings, "Why worry about that orange kid of yours when you can have another one?"

Avocato had not felt more offended, damaged, and devastated in his life. His tears began to stream down his face profusely. He could quickly shoot a couple of rounds at him but he was careful. The best way to counter this was to engage in conversation but no words could form on his mouth. His mind spiraled like a tornado heading to a bleak harsh darkness he could not fathom or even swore exist. The frozen Ventrexian still had no clear idea of what to really do, and at the same time had no idea what he could do anymore to his life. He could no longer think of anything else but his son, in the vision of him being held in front of his father tasked to shoot him dead. He saw a bright future in him and that was something he has vowed to protect and propagate since he first had him. Avocato wished he could be free of this misery by dying but by trying to protect Little Cato. He thought whether or not he had a well lived life and if it was time for Little Cato to take his place, not only as a strong man, but as a better person than him. He was unsure of when it may happen, so he constantly swore that at some point, he will make his son bury and honor him, not the other way around. If the latter does happen though, well, Avocato would have to make bigger plans.

“You know you could take his cells and request the Lord Commander to fund you in making a new clone. Inject him with your memories and all will be just the same.” Moira continued.

“Shut up!” Avocato shouted. His tears began to fall down streams. He now blamed himself for leading himself in this miserable life. The opposing party looked at each other in disbelief.

Dandy sat where he stopped and sobbed out, "I just want my mommy."

The word _mommy_. Yes! Avocato looked at the largest pursuer in front of him (in fact the largest among all present) and raised his gun at her. He recognized her as someone who lived a bit far from him, a general ranking below him, but one of the Lord Commander’s best. They weren’t close, but Avocato admired her. He recognized her as a single mother to a little boy Avocato rarely saw, but soon found out to be a shy but a bright and lovable child. She was crossing her arms, still as a stone but intimidating as a giant she basically was.

 _“Mandy...”_ Avocato said quietly, staring at her, his mouth drooping in worry. Avocato returned to his senses. Avocato's mission was to keep Dandy alive until he reached his uncle. Avocato knew too well that he couldn’t be overpowered by a team of five. He shouldn’t, as he and Dandy have no armor. He would have to take the small four out, to leave a balance in the two teams. As a tactician, he knew he couldn’t easily take Mandy out who was way larger and stronger than him. _But would he take her out?_ He did not know.

Avocato had a plan in mind. He minded a pouch on his belt containing six tiny heavy metal boxes just the size of toy cubes which served a perfect plan to stop four of his enemies. He stood still with his gun still raised and calculated with the right precision the positions where he may throw them; he had to get just four and throw them one by one at the targets. And once everything was set, he swiftly scooped four of the boxes and threw them in front of the four. The go was not what he exactly envisioned but a success nevertheless; some boxes landed nearly to the side and the timing was a bit slow. They worked their magic as they unlatched their folds and enveloped them, soon squeezing them as the boxes closed in on them as they reverted to their original form in a matter of seconds. A rare metal for its laser resistance, and it couldn’t be resistant to pressure. Part of the floor was not a floor anymore but a puddle of blood spurted out from the crushed bodies.

Mandy still stood there, unfazed to the deaths of the four. She proceeded to let her hands click some latches situated on the sides of her heavy helmet and as they opened, she slowly lifted it up revealing a strong squarelike face adorned with three strong pretty eyes. Her gold and iron piercings and rings seemed to beautify her brows and right nose. Her lips were pretty large and much darker than Dandy's skin but all the more to her own which was pretty tinted as it reached to becoming white. Avocato discreetly moved to the left a bit to face his aim at Mandy’s side cautiously keeping his feet from the blood.

He then gave a deep sigh and looked at Dandy with his mouth agape and his mind sunken into a deep dark ocean. The look of his mother, almost the same way she was when she complied to the Lord Commander's bidding, to kill the first child she had, made him realize that she was not his mother. But it seemed Mandy regretted messing up bad and now her son hated her—feared her. She realized this as that flash from Avocato’s grenade back then allowed Dandy to make his escape and hide from his mother who was ordered to kill him, even if she hesitated to do it quickly, because he was her only child.

"Dandy...my baby…come here." she said weakly as she slowly let out her huge right hand telling Dandy that there was nothing to fear and that she only wanted to get closer to him. Dandy raised his head and looked into her eyes, gentle and kind, which was something Dandy always wanted to see.

"Seriously...are you that insane?" Avocato spoke up. His thoughts and sense of reality were now totally lost, "You wouldn't wanna do this, even your only son! What is this for exactly? Isn’t he the best thing that happened to you? I’ve given everything up already just for something I can’t do, and I don’t regret it! You never would if you..”

"Avocato." He was cut short as Mandy growled and glared at him. Her cheeks and eyes were red and soaked in tears. "My Dandy is coming back to me. Don't interrupt."

"Mommy." Dandy spoke up making the two turn their faces to him. "Mommy, please don't hurt me." He stood still, his shaky hands raised as he yielded himself to be spared, and his head looking away from his mother’s face.

Mandy rushed to him dropping her helmet and dropped to her knees. Her hands reached to the tiny face now soaking wet with large tears falling from his eyes. "Baby...I…" her hands slowly scooped the boy up by the pits and he chuckled weakly. So did his mother. She then sat him on her left arm caressing his face, "Mom's been terrible lately, I have been a monster. You should be afraid of me. I'm sorry for what I have done to you. If you can forgive me, we can go back home and have some…" she stopped as she choked on her tears. Avocato realized that he might not be the only one who refused to kill his own firstborn. He imagined he was Mandy tending to the son he refused to kill, telling him how much he loves him. The way she shed those tears and the way her voice sounded, was something that actually could shed some heart, but he still didn't trust her. He looked keenly to this "act" but now slowly lowered his gun.

Dandy smiled yet still weakly, "Mommy, I'm going to meet Uncle Ross today. Do you wanna come visit?" He tried his best to sound happy, as he began reconciling with his mother.

"Yes." Her tear wet face lit up a smile.

But soon her right arm slowly reached to what seemed her holster holding her blaster. Avocato by that instant trembled fiercely, and trembled all the more as Mandy forcefully threw off her child to the floor. Avocato let out a loud shriek, quickly raised his gun and stopped her by driving a laser to the side of her exposed head. It was a clean shot through the cheek that damaged most of her nasal cavity. Her hand on her holster immediately reached to the side of her bloodied wound. Dandy now on the floor screeched as he just witnessed his mother take that gruesome shot and soon enough curled himself and fiercely shut his eyes from the sight of it all.

Mandy stumbled a few steps and looked to Avocato, still with his blaster raised, aghast as her eyes widened and her mouth gasping for air, she called out to him weakly, in a terrible gurgling sound, "Avocato...why?" She turned to face where the lasers were, but definitely she had no idea where she may be heading as her vision blurred to whiteness. When her body had enough, she fell straight down to a laser slicing her head and leaving nothing but a smoky pile of carnage. It rested right where it had cut her, its meat slowly cooking and blood slowly boiling.

Avocato still stood there frozen and his gun still raised. The pile of meat just became clearer and fouler than ever. Dandy stood to his fours, and irritated by the stench threw up right where he was. Avocato would not do it, yet he, despite trying to hold it just as he did for many times like this, for the first time gave in.

After a moment of eerie silence, all the lasers sealing the passageways shut off signifying the police coming to take them away.

A peal of loud footsteps echoed throughout the hall and Avocato's ears swiveled everywhere. He kept his gun and picked Dandy up while trying not to step onto any vomit, "We should go now." He said as he reached for his bag to take flash grenades and some lethal ones to stall the police and their vision helmets. He held Dandy close to him urging him not to look back and positioned themselves far from where the blood may creep to their shoes. To protect themselves from any possible shot, he grabbed his own helmet wedged between his other arms and donned it in. He then picked a smaller one he brought exclusively for the boy to wear.

"We're outta here." The exhausted Ventrexian said, grabbing Dandy's arm simultaneously. He then aimed for the exit in the West Wing about seven meters away from them.

"For Little Cato." He said softly.

The police arrived fully armed with white combat armor. Avocato at full haste threw the flash grenades and the whole hall instantly stopped, except for some cacophonous beeping countdowns, followed by loud explosions just enough to make the floor quake and pin some officers down. It took about seven seconds for everything to clear up and once it did, the suspects were already gone, leaving mostly fallen bloodied bodies on the route to the West Wing holding the West Line.

\----

Avocato and Dandy were finally out of the station which would be closed after that terrible incident. Without muttering anything, the two took a bus far from the station to a stop near a lowly hill where Uncle Ross’ coordinates are situated according to Dandy’s GPS. The ride was much more peaceful than on the train. It was 5am, and it was still dark.

It took ten minutes for them to arrive at the hill’s base. Avocato suggested it would take nearly thirty minutes to walk to Ross’ house from where they stood, but that wouldn’t concern Dandy as his mind would be totally blank for the next hour.

The walk in the darkness, albeit expelled by the tall street lights, took no toll on the two that long as the sky began to be tinted with a brightening blue. Avocato looked to the city overhead as he walked, a number of skyscrapers and their colorful lights piercing the dim sky. Avocato had not seen this peaceful a sight before. Everything was still, and it was peaceful. There were no spaceships he could command on the air to raze the whole land, and he might have thought it would be better that way, and would he add all of these if he were to sacrifice his own child? He figured that maybe he did not need spaceships to make this whole sightseeing beautiful. What he was seeing was way more beautiful than what he had seen in his best conquest—when he took over four billion lives.

It was preposterous. No amount of beauty in this sightseeing changed his persona before. A simple sightseeing of the city or anything about sightseeing in general had not changed Avocato that much before. It seemed very unbecoming of him, a merciless general whose name struck fear in the hearts of aliens, and now, he feels just like the same as them, powerless in the beginning and in the end, no matter how much power they can grasp. His heart sank in regret for countless innocent lives lost in his hands, and for his son who would have been part of that sacrifice. Avocato would have to look more into this closely as he continued on his greatest mission yet, not just about finding Little Cato, but finding himself.

Avocato after sightseeing turned to check on Dandy whose expression transformed significantly: his lips curled and deranged to a deep frown. He was sniffing and his trail was left with little wet drops. His eyes were soaked with giant tears falling down to his chin collecting itself before its filled capacity fell onto the asphalt pavement or onto his red shirt. Avocato looked away, scarred at what the child had witnessed these last hours. He could not help but wish Dandy to be safe at his home planet with his family complete. Avocato wished he was just at home, with his family complete, no Lord Commander or anything. Dandy erupted into a broken sob, his breaths more shaky and heavy. Avocato continued to press forward, undistracted by Dandy’s breakdown, as he himself had enough of that.

“Mommy...mommy…” Dandy sobbed. At the sob, Avocato stopped and turned his face to the boy. “Mommy...mommy…” Dandy said them again but this time the sobbing that followed would intensify. He breathed hard as his body shook violently before he finally ducked down to a ball and screamed that the whole hill could hear him. As he wailed and wasted every inch of the breath he had, he curled his hand to fists and began to crush his temples but with no use of breaking them. He then tried pounding the pavement with his fists screeching until his lungs could give up. Still no use. What he could ultimately do was to be on his knees and bury his face on his palms.

They were now close to home. Avocato although shaken stood tall to hold his hand and tell the grieving child caringly, “Just three more minutes, baby. We’ll be there.”

It didn’t take too long as they reached a quaint little house above short concrete steps guarded with a metal gate and fence across where they walked. Avocato looked to the GPS and found that their position matched with the coordinates. Dandy recognizing the house, a place where he would spend when his mother was so busy, rushed to the house and shook the gate violently begging Uncle Ross to come and open it quickly.

Avocato rushed after him and embraced him tightly. “Don’t scare your uncle like that, son.” he barked, but Dandy fought back demanding the Ventrexian to let go, Avocato stood strong continuously embracing the child to calm him down. As Dandy’s fits ceased, he let himself loose with his paws on the boy’s shoulders. Dandy looked down to the ground silent. Avocato could not bear anymore for this mission, for his sake and that of Dandy’s.

Avocato finally completed his mission, but before he could go on his way, he knelt down on one knee to face the boy slowly looking back. "Dandy, I want you to stay with your uncle. I'm sorry about your mom…" Dandy looked down to the ground, his face tight and damp. Avocato dared not to say anything about her anymore.

He continued, "In a city and on a hill like this, you will be safe here. As for me I'm just dangerous to be around, and that's why I need to go quickly. And thank you, because I'm beginning to know myself already, and that's what you should also do. But before I leave, I have a request for you."

Avocato breathed and his left hand reached to one of his belt pockets where he retrieved a clean strip of white paper with some shiny embossed codes and presented it to the boy. "If you find Little Cato, tell me his coordinates, and send it to me by typing this encrypted code on your GPS. I will get them even from light-years away and I'll be able to get him in a jiffy." He handed the code to Dandy to which he casually received.

"Now, you wait for your uncle." Avocato said with a gentle smile and at once walked away back to the base of the hill.

Dandy still stood there and watched him as he went out of sight. He had not even said a good bye. He soon turned his body and continually gazed towards where Avocato headed as he waited for his uncle to get him.

\----

As Avocato reached the base of the hill, he decided to make his next move, to stay at an inn near Station 74 (obviously far away from Station 12) located in the further parts of Dorian City. He took a bus going there, and on the ride he tightly clenched on to the bag. He watched the buildings, their lights off, the busy walking people, the few cars on land and air, and the sky painted by the sunrise at its peak. Hugging the bag with his right arm, he slumped his left at the windowsill praising how blessed the planet was, how blessed the city was, and how blessed they didn't get to have the Lord Commander.

Avocato paid close attention to the people outside as they walked about their lives, lucky enough to have time to spend with their families, friends, watching the latest special premiere of their popular game show—happy, safe, content, and satisfied at least. He wondered what it would be like to live like those people who have some decency in their lives. They didn’t have to kill anybody, or gain power. He knew now that he was just like them, deserving of happiness, and capable of sadness, grief, and fear. He had some heart and it was shown in his friendliness, and the love he showed to his son. Avocato thought he must be at a wrong place, strayed away with a false truth, and with that, he swore that he could only kill if he _really_ needed to, when worst comes to worst. He realized that power was never the end means, but _humanity,_ a principle that shall prevail and set all things free. Humanity…that must be something Avocato needed all along.

Maybe, once he found Little Cato, he would gladly give up his job as a general forever, stay far away from this crazed overlord, return home to Ventrexia as a humbler man and defeat the Tryvuulians with his kid by his side every step of the way.

Avocato would be able to finally rest for the time being, but as with all things, it would come to an end. "I swear, Little Cato. Dead or alive, I will find you."

He breathed heavily as thinking about him brought him to a freezing hell once more, "I just feel so alone." he then buried his face on the bag as his eyes teared up, but as they cleared, he raised his head again slowly to gaze at the path before him.

What about Dandy? He was safe and sound with his uncle and from that moment on, he never saw Avocato again, but he held onto the hope of meeting him again. Afterall, he was in fact a nice guy. He also hoped of finally meeting Little Cato for the first time and becoming friends. Both of them were kids and were capable of getting along together. He planned that once he saw him, he would go to him and tell him his father was looking for him, and support him in any way.

Days passed, and Dandy waited for the two of them, either by the gate, or somewhere in Dorian City where Dandy may also be—in the mall, in the supermarket, wherever. But where he was, he still never saw them. Three years passed and he still had not seen them.

By then, he would have forgotten the request and the slip that came along with it.

But still, he found himself staring at the gate sometimes for a familiar figure to return, perhaps with his son.


End file.
